What are you currently working on—and what do you find particularly stimulating or challenging about it?
We moved into our new space on Kantstraße about a year ago; it has big front windows and direct access to the street. Since then, there’s been a noticeable change in our shows, which are becoming even more site-specific and installation-driven, to engage more directly with what’s happening outside. Earlier this year, we showed Ivana Vladislava and papered the entire gallery in leopard print. It ended up looking more like a nightclub or some kind of underground venue. Honestly, I was a bit nervous before the opening, wondering how people would react, since it was such a departure from what we’d done before. But in the end, the worry was completely unfounded—it actually turned out to be a huge success and one of our most-visited shows. It even went viral and reached millions of people around the world. Building on that, I’m now especially excited about a new immersive exhibition by Meo Wulf that we’ll be showing in September. It will take over the gallery walls—with a large installation of 200 framed works—and activate the space in a performative way.
Do you have a daily ritual that gives you structure or inspiration?
For the past two months, I’ve had a little lady poodle called Trudi. She pretty much defines my mornings and my routines as well. I used to think having a dog just wouldn’t work with a self-employed schedule and running a business—but actually, it works surprisingly well. I’d honestly recommend it to anyone.
What kind of music do you listen to when you want to focus or reconnect with your creative process?
I come from a family of musicians, so music has always played a big role. One album I keep going back to—whether I’m unwinding on my own or looking for energy—is ›The Dark Side of the Moon‹ by Pink Floyd. That might be why I’ve also been really enjoying Miley Cyrus’s new album ›Something Beautiful‹. It feels like a concept album clearly inspired by Pink Floyd, with choral elements and sound frequencies that give you a bit of a natural high.
Has there been a book that fundamentally changed your perspective—and why would you recommend it?
Alongside art history and business, I also studied modern German literature. One author who has always made me think deeply about language and storytelling is Robert Musil. Especially his short story ›The Blackbird‹, which really asks: who is telling the story, and to whom? And what role does the so-called ›other condition‹ play? It’s also something that comes up in ›The Man Without Qualities‹. It describes a mode of perception in which the world is experienced or interpreted in artistic terms.
Is there a work of art you would love to have in your home?
This one took me a moment, because there are so many works I’d love to spend time with—even if I don’t necessarily need to own them. One I keep coming back to is ›Bacchus‹ by Michelangelo. Bacchus, the Greek god of wine, is shown mid-stumble, as if he’s had too much to drink. His body twists in a spiral—what’s called a ›figura serpentinata‹—a composition that makes the figure compelling from every angle. I’ve been fascinated by it since my student days. And yes, I already know the perfect spot for it in my living room. 🙂
Which exhibition venue in Berlin inspires you?
The Neue Nationalgalerie is without question the city’s most impressive museum—both the building by Mies van der Rohe and its collection. Its position in the city is also fascinating from an urban planning perspective. Whether I’m cycling past, visiting a temporary show, or spending time with its permanent collection of modernist works—it’s just a fantastic place.
Is there an object that accompanies you and reflects a part of your identity?
When I moved from Frankfurt to Berlin into my first flat, my mother gave me a Tulip table by Eero Saarinen with a beautiful marble top. I used to sit at that table in my grandfather’s house—then it passed to my mother, and now to me. It’s not just a design classic, it’s also a place of family connection. I love to cook, eat, have guests, and I also work at that table. We’ve had some wild discussions around it. It’s a wonderful family heirloom that now lives with me here in Berlin.
What keeps you going, even in moments of doubt?
Patience is good. Letting things settle, giving decisions time—even when you’re unsure. Most doubts turn out to be unnecessary, or simply overblown.